Bengaluru: Following the green single of the technical committee on Covid to start offline classes for 1st  to 5th standard, the Primary and Secondary Education department has decided to reopen primary schools from October 25. 

Primary and Secondary Education Minister B.C. Nagesh said that standard operative procedure  (SOP) to start offline classes for 1st to 5th standard students from October 25 onwards will be issued and the same will send to the Deputy Director of Public Instruction and Block Education Officers in the state. Taking into consideration the safety of the students, the department has taken all necessary precautions to start offline classes, Mr. Nages said. 

Mr. Nages said that only a few children had been infected when the government started offline classes for higher primary students. Few students get infected by their family members and not from the schools, he said and added that parents permission letter is necessary to send their child to the schools. Only 50% per cent of admission is allowed for offline classes. Two doses of vaccine must for teachers those who take offline classes and wearing masks was compulsory, Mr. Nagesh said. 

School management should not make compulsory attendance for the students and not compel the parents to send their kids for offline classes, Mr. Nages said. 

However, the government has yet to take a call on to start offline classes for LKG and UKG. For the 1st and 5th standard, classes will be held for five days. On November 2 onwards, offline classes will be held for full days, Mr. Nages said.